AI Coding Tools Setup

chro integrates with AI coding assistants to automate content generation workflows. This guide covers the installation of Claude Code (by Anthropic) and OpenAI Codex.

Prerequisites

Before installing AI coding tools, ensure you have:

• Node.js 18+ installed
• Git installed

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Claude Code

Claude Code is Anthropic’s AI coding assistant that runs in your terminal.

Requirements

• Node.js 18+ and npm
• Git (required on Windows)
• Claude Pro, Max, or Team subscription OR an API key

Installation

macOS

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Windows

1. Ensure Git for Windows is installed (required):

winget install Git.Git

2. Configure PowerShell execution policy (if needed):

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

3. Install Claude Code:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Important: Git for Windows is required. Claude Code will not start without it.

Authentication

Launch Claude Code:

claude

On first run, you’ll be prompted to authenticate:

1. Option 1: Claude Pro/Max/Team (Recommended)

   • Select “Sign in with Claude”
   • Follow the browser authentication flow
   • Requires an active Claude Pro ($20/mo), Max ($100/mo), or Team subscription

2. Option 2: API Key

   • Select “Use API key”
   • Enter your Anthropic API key
   • Get an API key from console.anthropic.com
   • Pay-as-you-go pricing applies

Verify Installation

claude --version
claude --help

Basic Usage

# Start Claude Code in current directory
claude

# Start with a specific task
claude "explain this codebase"

# Continue previous conversation
claude --continue

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OpenAI Codex

OpenAI Codex is OpenAI’s coding agent that runs locally in your terminal.

Requirements

• Node.js 18+ and npm
• ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, or Enterprise subscription OR an API key

Installation

macOS

Option 1: Homebrew (Recommended)

brew install codex

Option 2: npm

npm install -g @openai/codex

Windows

Note: Windows support is experimental. For the best experience, use Codex in WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux).

Option 1: PowerShell (Experimental)

npm install -g @openai/codex

Option 2: WSL (Recommended)

1. Install WSL:

wsl --install

2. Open WSL terminal and install Node.js:

curl -o- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nvm-sh/nvm/master/install.sh | bash
source ~/.bashrc
nvm install 22

3. Install Codex:

npm install -g @openai/codex

Tip: When using WSL, work in Linux-native paths (e.g., ~/projects/) rather than Windows-mounted paths (/mnt/c/...) for better performance.

Authentication

Launch Codex:

codex

On first run, choose your authentication method:

1. Sign in with ChatGPT (Recommended)

   • Requires ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team, Edu, or Enterprise subscription
   • Follow the browser authentication flow

2. Use API Key

   • Enter your OpenAI API key
   • Get an API key from platform.openai.com
   • Pay-as-you-go pricing applies

Verify Installation

codex --version
codex --help

Basic Usage

# Start Codex in current directory
codex

# Start with a specific task
codex "add error handling to this function"

# Use a specific model
codex --model gpt-5

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Comparison: Claude Code vs OpenAI Codex

Feature	Claude Code	OpenAI Codex
Provider	Anthropic	OpenAI
Subscription	Claude Pro/Max/Team	ChatGPT Plus/Pro/Team
API Pricing	Pay-per-token	Pay-per-token
Windows Support	Native (with Git)	Experimental (WSL recommended)
Default Model	Claude Sonnet	GPT-5-Codex

Both tools are excellent choices. Pick based on:

• Existing subscription - Use whichever service you already pay for
• Platform - Claude Code has better native Windows support
• Model preference - Claude for reasoning tasks, GPT for code generation

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Troubleshooting

Claude Code: “Git not found” (Windows)

Install Git for Windows:

winget install Git.Git

Restart your terminal after installation.

Claude Code: PowerShell script execution errors

Enable script execution:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser

Codex: Slow performance on Windows

Use WSL instead of native Windows:

wsl --install

Then install and run Codex from within WSL.

npm global package permission errors

See the Node.js Setup troubleshooting section for solutions.

Authentication issues

• Ensure you have an active subscription (Pro/Max/Plus/Team)
• Try logging out and back in: claude logout or restart Codex
• Check your API key is valid at the provider’s console

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Next Steps

With AI coding tools installed, you’re ready to:

• Install chro - Install the chro application
• Get Started - Learn how to use chro